Challenge of resource circulation within a remote island community through collaboration of agriculture and engineering

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K22006
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 23:Architecture, building engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Okaze Tsubasa 東京工業大学, 環境・社会理工学院, 准教授 (40709739)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 多田 千佳 東北大学, 農学研究科, 准教授 (30413892) ; 米澤 千夏 東北大学, 農学研究科, 准教授 (60404844) ; 川島 範久 明治大学, 理工学部, 専任講師 (70738533)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: メタン発酵 / 生ごみ / バイオガス / 消化液 / 資源循環 / 農山漁村 / 小型化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, a micro anaerobic digestion system with a 30 L capacity was developed. The system was easily constructed using materials purchased from home improvement stores. In addition, stable fermentation was established using familiar, readily available materials such as seed microorganisms. In the laboratory test, although no mixing in the fermenter was carried out, the methane production efficiency was approximately 60% of the theoretical production value for the COD of the added food waste. In the outdoor experiment on an island in the Seto Inland Sea, by covering the whole fermenter with insulation, the fermentation could be maintained with a 200 W heater even during their winter season.

Free Research Field

都市・建築環境工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で開発したメタン発酵装置は、家庭に設置し維持管理できる大きさまで小型させたものである。さらに、装置は、容易に入手しやすい材料で作成されており、自作が可能な、簡易な仕組みにもなっている。我が国の農山漁村など、生ごみの処理に大きな搬送コストなどが必要な地域だけでなく、インフラから切り離された世界の様々な地域での、地域内での生ごみの処理、バイオガスの活用、消化液の農地への活用が期待でき、資源循環型社会の形成への貢献が期待できる。